2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-1241 - Issuance of disabled parking placards

46.2-1241. Issuance of disabled parking placards.

A. Upon application of a person with a disability that limits or impairs hisability to walk or that creates a concern for his safety while walking, theCommissioner shall issue a permanent removable windshield placard for use ona passenger car or pickup or panel truck. The Commissioner shall require thateach original application be accompanied by a certification from a licensedphysician on forms prescribed by the Commissioner that the applicant meetsthe definition of "person with a disability that limits or impairs hisability to walk or that creates a concern for his safety while walking"contained in 46.2-1240.

1. The Commissioner shall provide for the renewal of such placards every fiveyears. Applications for renewals may require the applicant to certify thathis disability is a permanent disability, but renewal applications need notbe accompanied by a physician's certification of the applicant's disability.The Commissioner shall work in consultation with the Medical Advisory Boardfor the Department to develop a definition of "permanent disability" asused in this subdivision. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of thischapter, no physician's certification of an applicant's disability shall berequired for the renewal of any disabled parking placard of an applicant towhom disabled parking license plates have been issued under 46.2-731.

2. The Commissioner shall charge a reasonable fee for each placard, but nofee shall be charged any person exempted from fees in 46.2-739.

3. The placards shall be of a design approved by the Commissioner pursuant tothe specifications and definitions contained in 46.2-1240.

B. Upon the application of a person with a disability that limits or impairshis ability to walk and whose disability is temporary, the Commissioner shallissue a temporary removable windshield placard. The application for atemporary removable windshield placard shall be accompanied by acertification from a licensed physician, podiatrist, or chiropractor on formsprescribed by the Commissioner that the applicant meets the definition of"person with a condition that limits or impairs his ability to walk"contained in 46.2-1240 and shall also include the period of time that thephysician, podiatrist, or chiropractor determines the applicant will have thedisability, not to exceed six months.

1. The temporary removable windshield placard shall be valid for the periodof time for which the physician, podiatrist, or chiropractor has determinedthat the applicant will have the disability, not to exceed six months fromthe date of issuance.

2. The Commissioner shall provide for a reasonable fee to be charged for theplacard. The placards shall be of a design approved by the Commissionerpursuant to the specifications and definitions contained in 46.2-1240.

C. On application, the Commissioner shall issue to hospitals, hospices,nursing homes, and other institutions and organizations meeting criteriadetermined by the Commissioner organizational removable windshield placards,as provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section, for use byvolunteers when transporting disabled persons in passenger vehicles andpickup or panel trucks owned by such volunteers. The provisions of thissection relating to other windshield placards issued under this section shallalso apply, mutatis mutandis, to windshield placards issued to theseinstitutions and organizations, except that windshield placards issued toinstitutions and agencies, in addition to their expiration date, shall bearthe name of the institution or organization whose volunteers will be usingthe windshield placards rather than the name, age, and sex of the person towhom issued.

1. The Commissioner shall provide for the renewal of such placards every fiveyears.

2. The placards shall be of a design approved by the Commissioner pursuant tothe specifications and definitions contained in 46.2-1240.

D. No person shall use or display an organizational removable windshieldplacard, permanent removable windshield placard or temporary removablewindshield placard beyond its expiration date.

E. Organizational removable windshield placards, permanent removablewindshield placards and temporary removable windshield placards shall bedisplayed in such a manner that they may be viewed from the front and rear ofthe vehicle and be hanging from the rearview mirror of a vehicle utilizing aparking space reserved for persons with disabilities that limit or impairtheir ability to walk. When there is no rearview mirror, the placard shall bedisplayed on the vehicle's dashboard. No placard shall be displayed from therearview mirror while a vehicle is in motion.

(1997, cc. 783, 904; 2001, c. 136; 2002, c. 133; 2003, c. 992; 2005, c. 276.)